Attention all Knifemakers!.....Product dealers/retailers and/or knife makers/sharpeners/hobbyists (etc) are not permitted to insert business related text/videos/images (company/company name/product references) and/or links into your signature line, your homepage url (within the homepage profile box), within any posts, within your avatar, nor anywhere else on this site. Market research (such as asking questions regarding or referring to products/services that you make/offer for sale or posting pictures of finished projects) is prohibited. These features are reserved for supporting vendors and hobbyists.....Also, there is no need to announce to the community that you are a knifemaker unless you're trying to sell something so please refrain from sharing.
Thanks for your co-operation!

Help Support Kitchen Knife Forums by donating using the link above or becoming a Supporting Member.

My recommendation is a Terayasu Fujiwara Nashiji in stainless clad White #1. It's a little thicker, but the forged cladding is stainless and tends to run thicker because it's not ground down after forging leaving the rough finish. Unfortunately, it's about 165mm, the standard nakiri size.

Fujiwara doesn't get enough props here because many of his knives are on the expensive side. Oh yeah. The White #1 gyutos at JCK are identical to the Nashiji line at half the price for any other forum members who think 500 bucks for a 240 gyuto is too much.

I get it, I need to learn how to sharpen. No need to keep beating the dead horse. I think I've also decided that I don't necessarily need a 180 - there is a lot more selection at 165, and it's probably perfectly adequate.

Thanks for all the recommendations, everyone! You've given me so many choices that I'm not really close to a decision, but I feel like I'm moving in the right direction. I just wish there was a store nearby where I could try them all!

In addition to all those that have been mentioned, I have my eye on the Masakage Yuki.